The heightened insecurity and multiple assassination attempts has forced dozens of families to flee the area, with some reportedly seeking refuge outside Nigeria, including one high-profile case involving Mr. Obasi Ndukwe Omokorie, a 47-year-old resident of No. 3 Glass Industry, 7-Up, Ogbohill.
According to sources in the community, Mr. Omokorie had been an active member of the local vigilante group established in July 2023 to curb rising criminal activity. However, the same role that once made him a protector of the community has now turned him into a marked man.
Omokorie reportedly uncovered sensitive information linking both local cult groups and rogue elements within security agencies to a series of violent crimes. His decision to speak out and sever ties with these networks has made him the target of repeated assassination attempts by so-called “unknown gunmen”, widely believed to be operating with cross-state coordination.
In an exclusive interview, Obinna Omokorie, the elder brother of the embattled vigilante, described the dire situation that forced the family into a heartbreaking decision.
“We knew they would eventually find him,” Obinna said. “They had already attacked our father’s house. Two of his fellow vigilantes have been killed. I had no choice but to sell one of our family’s last plots of land to help him leave Nigeria. It was the only way to keep him alive.”
Security experts say the attacks form part of a broader campaign of violence aimed at dismantling grassroots security structures and silencing community whistleblowers.
Mr. Omokorie’s family claims he narrowly escaped death on at least three occasions, and was only able to flee with minimal resources, leaving behind his wife and four children, who are also now in hiding.
Local human rights advocates are calling on foreign governments to offer protection and asylum to individuals like Mr. Omokorie, citing the high likelihood of torture, disappearance, or extrajudicial execution if returned to Nigeria.
As of now, his exact location remains undisclosed for his safety, but appeals are being made for any nation that may hold him in custody to consider the life-threatening circumstances surrounding his case.
“Returning him to Nigeria is not an option,” Obinna added. “They won’t stop until he’s silenced.”
